The Cavendish
The Cavendish Cinema was built for Mr. Shapeero of the Rocket Cinema Co. He employed Derby based architects J. Browning & W.S. Hayes, who in 1937 had designed the Cavendish Cinema in Derby.
The Cavendish Cinema in Nottingham was opened on 15th December 1938 with Will Hay in “Convict 99” and Nan Grey in “Black Doll”. Films star Googie Withers attended the opening of this luxury suburban cinema.
Seating in the stalls was provided for 1,122, and in the circle 544. The proscenium was 30 feet wide, the stage 14 feet deep and there were four dressing rooms.
Always an independent cinema, the Cavendish Cinema was closed on 15th September 1968 with Charlton Heston in “Will Penny” and Mike Henry in “Tarzan and the Great River”. It was converted into a bingo club, which continued until 1991. The building was then boarded up.
In recent years it has operated as an I.C. Discount Warehouse store.
The Cavendish Cinema was built for Mr. Shapeero of the Rocket Cinema Co. He employed Derby based architects J. Browning & W.S. Hayes, who in 1937 had designed the Cavendish Cinema in Derby.
The Cavendish Cinema in Nottingham was opened on 15th December 1938 with Will Hay in “Convict 99” and Nan Grey in “Black Doll”. Films star Googie Withers attended the opening of this luxury suburban cinema.
Seating in the stalls was provided for 1,122, and in the circle 544. The proscenium was 30 feet wide, the stage 14 feet deep and there were four dressing rooms.
Always an independent cinema, the Cavendish Cinema was closed on 15th September 1968 with Charlton Heston in “Will Penny” and Mike Henry in “Tarzan and the Great River”. It was converted into a bingo club, which continued until 1991. The building was then boarded up.
In recent years it has operated as an I.C. Discount Warehouse store.
- I remember going there with a PQ Tips tea packet and getting in to see the chimps
- I remember the PQ tips, mum had to buy pkts of tea so me and my brothers got in - think we got free suckers if you had the PQ tips pkt and we saw the chimps
- And they had a free raffle-I won a PQ tips chimp toy which my great niece still has it must be 50yrs plus old
- I remember that - there was a raffle - all our mums bought PQ tips when we Knew they were coming as we needed the pkts to get in xxx
- My mum was on the kiosk and my sister was an usherette there; my godmother Winnie Woodward was the manageress
​Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore) leaving Cavendish Cinema after making a personal appearance in 1958
The Cavendish was opened in 1938. Sadly it survived just three decades as a cinema, closing in 1968.
On the opening night at the Cavendish in 1938, an audience of 1,700 people packed the huge cinema to see Will Hay in Convict 99, paying 6d to 9d for a ticket in the stalls.
In the best 1s 3d seats at the front of the circle, by special invitation, were some of the performers, including a very young Googie Withers.
- Yes it was cheap, sat upstairs having a fag.. naughty oooooooh
- Happy days Mrs Mesom on the front
- Every Saturday Morning xx
- I have the programme from the opening night.
- Me and my brothers were there on a Saturday every week we loved it xxx
- Used to go with my mum and dad every week then to chippy corner Moffat Street of Pym street to eat on way home
- My Mum was an Usherette and Ice Cream Lady at the Cavvo on the 50's/60's, and at the Empress too!
- I worked there in 1960 , Cliff was on the doors ,the manger was called Mr Lesley ,he was wicked to the staff , remember dancing in the aisles to Bill Haley’s Rock Around The Clock and got the sack
- Saw the LONE RANGER ( Clayton Moore ) lived there in the late 50s or early 60s
- I used to work there!
- Can you remember Mrs Mc Nulty who worked in the kiosk? Blonde wavy hair, her son Patrick was my first boyfriend, we were not even teenagers then, and he packed me up for Veronica Hearthy whose parents had the chippy on Alfred St. Central.....
- Jacqueline Taylor -Spent many a Saturday morning watching films. As you walked in the screen was behind you.
- Terry Dexter -Many happy times spent in here,
- Jean Taylor -do you remember when you got older ,asking an older person to get you in.....,I was with a crowd watching the Mummy"s return.. .Jane Asher was in it .... she was in the bedroom combing her hair ,she heard footsteps on the stairs (A lad named Frankie Bulger ) Shouted don"t worry Jane its only your Mummy... .the audience were in fits of laughter ......The Usherette shone her torch Any more of that and your"e OUT !!!!ha ha
- Jacqueline Taylor - The films on a Saturday morning always ended on a bum clencher and everyone gave a disappointed sigh. So you had to go back the following week to see what happened and so it went on. You also got two films then an A film and a B film.
- Tony Ann Miller - The good old Cavo....so lucky on Senty to have two great Cinemas with in walking distance....it was all on our doorstep...including the entertainment....
- Barrie Taylor- The Flash Gordon serial was talked about for a week
- Barrie Taylor - Ming and the Clay Men gave us kids the shivers
- Yes it was cheap, sat upstairs having a fag.. naughty oooooooh
- Happy days Mrs Mesom on the front
- Every Saturday Morning xx
- I have the programme from the opening night.
- Me and my brothers were there on a Saturday every week we loved it xxx
- Used to go with my mum and dad every week then to chippy corner Moffat Street of Pym street to eat on way home
- My Mum was an Usherette and Ice Cream Lady at the Cavvo on the 50's/60's, and at the Empress too!
- I worked there in 1960 , Cliff was on the doors ,the manger was called Mr Lesley ,he was wicked to the staff , remember dancing in the aisles to Bill Haley’s Rock Around The Clock and got the sack
- Saw the LONE RANGER ( Clayton Moore ) lived there in the late 50s or early 60s
- I used to work there!
- Can you remember Mrs Mc Nulty who worked in the kiosk? Blonde wavy hair, her son Patrick was my first boyfriend, we were not even teenagers then, and he packed me up for Veronica Hearthy whose parents had the chippy on Alfred St. Central.....
- Anyone remember getting an Orange on some Saturdays?
- On party days you got an orange, free ticket and ice cream. Saw the Lone Ranger too. Loved to look at the pictures that were displayed outside on the curved bit of the wall.. Went with my brothers regularly.. Always a perv, with his mac on his arm, inching his way along the seats to sit next to you.. (Even in a near empty cinema ) touching your leg. Me and my brothers were always swapping seats. Surprised really that these usually missed nothing usherettes
- Anyone remember getting an Orange on some Saturdays?
- On party days you got an orange, free ticket and ice cream. Saw the Lone Ranger too. Loved to look at the pictures that were displayed outside on the curved bit of the wall.. Went with my brothers regularly.. Always a perv, with his mac on his arm, inching his way along the seats to sit next to you.. (Even in a near empty cinema ) touching your leg. Me and my brothers were always swapping seats. Surprised really that these usually missed nothing usherettes didn't pick up on them, and what they were up to. MOSTLY happy memories.
